


I can see clearly now (...the rain has gone) - TechniColor Edition

by ximeria



Series: 2014 Fic-A-Week (all the XMFC AUs) [21]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Dark, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-24
Updated: 2014-05-24
Packaged: 2018-01-26 09:09:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1682852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where you can not see color until you meet your soulmate, a hitman takes aim at his target.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I can see clearly now (...the rain has gone) - TechniColor Edition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KatiaSwift](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatiaSwift/gifts).



> Prompt from KatiaSwift on Tumblr: Okay, but imagine, from that soulmates universe idea, when the world is black and white until you meet your soulmate  
> A kick-ass assassin is sent to kill someone  
> And the moment they see their target the world suddenly fills with color  
> And they end up stuck between wanting to complete their job and being terrified of the world going back to black and white again, and there are moral dilemmas and such

Erik lifted the rifle telescope to his eye, getting the correct angle. It was all he used. No rifle and no physical weapon, save the projectiles which he would make sure hit their target, killing it swiftly and without too much noise. Their metal compound also meant he could retrieve them afterwards.

Not only did it make him a master marksman, it also gave him the reputation of being the cleanest hitman on the planet. Never a trace left behind. No bullets, no weapons, no gun powder traces on the dead body.

He still hadn't seen his target in the building across. He knew what he looked like, knew who he was. All Erik needed was a clear line of sight.

Allowing himself a moment to enjoy the heat of the day, he leaned against the edge of the roof he was on. He could see the dark shadows of the buildings and the sunlit patches in between. All hues of grey. The only time he ever wondered about colors, was when he pondered if the ability to see colors, might lend him a better aim.

Not that he was complaining. He had an impeccable track record. Maybe it was a good thing that he still had his black and white vision. He highly doubted that anyone would reconcile with their soulmate being a cold hearted killer.

Pushing any futile thoughts from his mind, Erik went over the case file again in his head. His target was in his mid-twenties, CEO of Xavier GenTech, heir to a large sum of old money as well. Erik's employer was obviously driven by greed, but who was Erik to judge? He had a job, had an assignment and he was honor bound to carry it out. After all, he'd already checked that the payment had gone into his Swiss bank account.

Movement flashed behind the window across from him and Erik focused on it. Holding the telescope up, he swung it to follow any movement that might-

Time seemed to stop and vertigo set in. Erik wanted nothing more than to blink hard, quickly, to clear his eyesight, but he didn't quite dare.

From the edges of his vision, _something_ bled in. 

Color. It was…

Erik swallowed hard and stared through the telescope sight at the window of the other building. Two figures were moving through the office, one of them… turned towards the window and Erik quickly slid down, to make sure he wasn't visible.

Breathing deeply, he sat on the black tarmac of the roof, staring at nothing, just… letting the world resettle around him, no longer greys, blacks and whites. But vibrant colors that were threatening to give him a headache. Pushing it all down, he reminded himself that his target was a telepath of unknown strength, if he could feel-

Erik stopped himself. His target? His fucking target was his soulmate. Erik buried his face in one hand, laughing maniacally. He still clenched his projectiles with the other.

Stupidly he'd never considered this might happen. Hell, he'd rarely given it any thought that there might be someone out there for him, someone who, as the romantically inclined would say; would complete him.

Truth was, Erik had never wanted to give it much thought. Going through life on hope alone was not exactly his MO.

For a moment he thought maybe the man who had accompanied his target into the office had been the trigger. Then again, Erik wasn't stupid. He'd only looked through the telescope at one figure and that _had_ been his target.

Closing his eyes and leaning back against the rough bricks, Erik took a deep breath. It was still his target. He had a job to do.

And if he killed the man, only Erik would know that this job was different.

It also meant that Erik would have to live with the knowledge as all color would bleed from his world again. Looking around him on the roof, he could tell how all his senses were latching onto the colors, assigning them meaning, descriptions-

All this would be gone if - when - he killed his target. An unbidden memory of his mother's sadness after his father's death crept up on Erik. She'd tried to explain to him that the world was dark and dreary after most of a lifetime of color. Erik hadn't understood then - he'd only ever _known_ the colorless world they lived in.

Opening his hand, Erik stared down at the metal projectiles. Currently they were round and smooth and where he'd always seen them as grey, he could see how their shiny surface reflected colors around them.

He was going over his accounts and escape plans in his head before he even realized. Shaking his head he stopped. He had never backed down on a job before. Had never refused to do it.

When he looked over again, the office was empty and Erik cursed himself. This called for a different approach, obviously.

* * *

Keeping his mind calm and quiet, Erik walked through the crowd of people, having spotted his target. This was not his usual way of doing things, of getting his job done but-

It had haunted him since yesterday and the deadline for the job was fast approaching. Hence the insanity of what he was about to do.

Erik had to fight hard to not let himself get distracted by the colors around him. He could almost tell who had found soulmates and who hadn't. He was pretty sure that those boldly wearing colors would fall into the first category. Most people without color vision would shy away from attempting to wear colors they couldn't see.

The same went for his target, though for all Erik knew, the well-cut black-on-black ensemble could just be fashion. If most definitely suited his target very well.

Grabbing the moment that was given to him, Erik stepped forward, to stand behind the CEO, who was alone for a moment in the din of the charity ball. At least Erik himself could dress well enough to fit in and he hadn't needed an invitation. There were few doors that could hold him.

"Don't turn around," he said so quietly that he knew only the young man in front of him would hear. Much to Erik's surprise he didn't seem startled by Erik's sudden appearance.

A slight nod and Xavier indicated he was listening.

"You want to grab whatever is important to you and run. Don't look back, don't dawdle." Erik held his breath for a moment.

Xavier still didn't turn around.

_'Would you deny me the chance to see you, now that you have reaped the benefit, now that your world is no longer grey and unappearling?'_

Erik stopped for a moment, then walked on. _'It's not worth it.'_ He should have known that Xavier as a telepath wouldn't be surprised by Erik sneaking up on him.

_'And who has decided you get to be the judge on that?'_

Erik allowed himself a snort in amusement as he left through a side door, heading down a dark hall towards an exit that would let him get away unnoticed. _'Would you let me leave if I let you see me?'_

Xavier's snort made it through their mental connection. _'Don't think this is the last I'll have to say about this.'_

Erik left, not looking back, walling off his mind.

* * *

Four weeks later, he was standing over the dead body of Cain Marko, blood seeping into the thick carpet.

"I never knew blood was so… " he sought for the right word.

"Red?" Xavier mumbled, staring at the fallen figure of Cain Marko. "It's going to be hell re-learning colors, now," he said quietly. He turned his head to look at Erik, a small smile on his face. "I'm glad you came."

Erik stared at him for a moment. He hadn't expected this level of - acceptance. Not the soulmate part of things. People tended to be rather accepting of that, although there were cases of people going crazy from the sudden shift in perception of the world around them. One moment everything was black and white and the next it was… indescribably bright and colorful.

No, it was the fact that Xavier seemed completely unsurprised by Erik taking down his stepbrother. For good.

"I felt you that day you were on the roof - knew what you were there for," Xavier said quietly.

Erik rubbed a hand over his face. "Of course you did."

"I also felt you gaining the sight of color," he continued. "I knew what you were to me at that very moment."

That… Erik hadn't seen coming. "And yet you let me go - I know you could have stopped me."

"I also sensed your confusion and dedication to the job." Xavier paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, blue eyes looking a lot older than his twenty-six years of age. "I thought-" he trailed off for a moment. "I though I'd rather not know you, see you, gain my sight, to only have you take my life away."

"I," Erik began, not sure what he was going to say.

Xavier shook his head. "You were that dedicated to your job," he said slowly. "At that moment you were still leaning towards finishing it." Finishing me, he didn't say, but it hung between them.

Huffing out a soundless laugh, Erik shook his head. "And now, can you tell what I'm going to do next?" He realized that he should probably find Xavier a little creepy or at least strange beyond words after that admission. Yet he didn't. The man would probably have been interesting to Erik even without the soulmate part.

"As you yourself aren't sure," Xavier said with a soft smile, "allow me to make a suggestion."

Erik nodded. He moved his hand to focus on the metal fragment he'd buried in Marko's brain, to pull them out.

Xavier didn't give the squelch of the metal leaving flesh any attention. "I have a place where you can lay low. Old family house. I'll join you when I've taken care of- the remains of my brother."

Erik stared at him for a moment, then nodded slowly. His reputation was still intact, but he would be fooling himself if he thought he was going to carry on as he had so far.

He had a new factor in his life, one he was rather interested in getting to know.

Xavier smiled softly. "I'm quite looking forward to getting to know you as well," he admitted. He dug a car key out of his pocket and handed it to Erik. "Jaguar in the basement. GPS has Greymalkin Lane stored in the memory. Follow it. Wait for me there."

Erik took the key and turned to leave, then turned back. He reached out and took Xavier's hand. It was stronger and more callused than he'd expected as he turned it over, pressing his lips dryly to the palm of it.

Xavier's breath hitched and Erik didn't miss his eyes darkening.

"I'll join you as soon as I can," Xavier promised.

Erik allowed himself a toothy grin. He was beginning to see he'd made the right choice after all.

The end (or maybe the beginning of unleashing hell on the unsuspecting public by getting these two together)


End file.
